Turnbull leads list of Spokane Arts Awards
We can now announce the recipients of this year’s City of Spokane Arts Awards:
• Sister Paula Turnbull, Individual Artist – She’s a prolific artist, working from a studio at the Holy Names Convent. She is also a mentor, role model and donor.
• The Spokane International Film Festival (SpIFF), Arts Organization – The festival has brought world-class independent and foreign films to Spokane for 12 years.
• Spokane Public Schools Elementary Art Teachers, Arts in Education – The district’s nine art teachers work in 35 schools and also provide artwork for displays all around the city.
• Robert E. Farley, Individual Benefactor – He has been the backbone of the Spokane Children’s Theatre for decades, and has been active in other children’s arts groups.
• Auntie’s Bookstore, Business Benefactor – Spokane’s leading independent bookstore is the center of Spokane’s literary culture, sponsoring and hosting hundreds of literary events including Get Lit! activities.
• Bill Burke, Arts Community Leadership – As the organizer of Pig Out in the Park and co-founder of the 6 Bridges Art Association, he has produced thousands of free concerts and other activities in the region.
• KYRS-FM, Thin Air Radio, Bold Strokes Award – This community radio station provides an eclectic mix of locally produced shows, showcasing music from diverse cultures.
The awards will be presented on Oct. 5, 6 p.m. at the Spokane City Council meeting in the City Council Chambers, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. A reception will follow at the Kress Gallery in River Park Square.
A KYRS boost
Meanwhile, KYRS-FM received more good news last week: It was awarded a federal construction grant of $188,395 toward building a full-power transmitter.
This goes a long way to helping KYRS reach its goal of moving from a low-power to full-power FM station.
There’s still more money to raise, but station manger Lupito Flores said they hope to have the transmitter built by November 2010.
‘Poor Again … Dagnabbit!’
Almost exactly 16 years ago, author Pat McManus and actor Tim Behrens opened their first show, “A Fine and Pleasant Misery.”
This began a long and fruitful collaboration between McManus, Spokane’s best-loved humorist, and Behrens, a one-man cast of thousands.
Three more shows ensued, taking Behrens to 23 states and two provinces in 1,200 performances.
Now, it’s time to premiere the fifth installment, “Poor Again … Dagnabbit!” – the first new McManus show in 12 years. It will examine his childhood of poverty in the Great Depression as well as a few more timely fiscal problems.
Behrens said the show aims to combat “the spread of laughlessness across the land.”
The show premieres on Thursday, 8 p.m. at the Lincoln Center, 1316 N. Lincoln St. Tickets are $21 for show-only, or $47 for a pre-show buffet wild-game dinner package.
It runs again on Saturday, 8 p.m., $21 for show-only or $85 for a small-group gourmet wild-game dinner with McManus. Call (509) 327-8000 for tickets or go to www.thelincolncenter spokane.com.
“Poor Again … Dagnabbit!” then heads to Sandpoint for a performance at the Panida Theatre, Oct. 9, 8 p.m. Tickets are $17 for adults, $12 for youth, available at Eichardt’s Pub, Pack River Potions and Eve’s Leaves in Sandpoint.
McManus will be there to sign his new murder mystery novel, “The Double Jack Murders.”
‘In the Mood’
Here’s a reminder about a show that should appeal to 1940s swing music fans: “In the Mood,” Oct. 4, 4 p.m. at the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox.
This is a touring musical revue, conceived and created in Washington, D.C., at the National Archives as part of the 50th anniversary commemoration of World War II. It has since toured all over the world.
This most recent tour includes a number of new songs – “Moonglow,” “Laura,” “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” and “Accentuate the Positive” – along with many other swing-era favorites.
These numbers will be performed by a 19-member company, including the String of Pearls Orchestra and a team of dancers and vocalists.
Tickets are $47, $37 and $27, through TicketsWest outlets (509-325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).
‘Gunga Din’ at the Bing
The Classic Film Series at the Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave., kicks off on Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. with “Gunga Din,” the great 1939 war epic starring Cary Grant.
No tickets are required, but donations will be collected ($5 is suggested, but any amount is fine). Donations will go to the Advocates of the Bing Crosby Theater.
All of the movies in the series come from 1939:
• Oct. 6, “Goodbye Mr. Chips,” about a beloved British schoolteacher.
• Oct. 13, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” Frank Capra’s classic about a good man (Jimmy Stewart) sent to Congress.
• Oct. 20, “Stagecoach,” John Ford’s classic Western starring John Wayne.
All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Why not see these classics the way they were meant to be seen, in a classic movie house?
A local ‘Jeopardy!’ contestant
Check out “Jeopardy!” on Friday at 7 p.m. on KHQ-6. Our colleague here at The Spokesman-Review, copy editor Lynn Swanbom, will be a contestant.
The episode was taped earlier this summer and Swanbom isn’t allowed to tell us how she did. Yet she did say it was a “dream come true.” She certainly has been smiling a lot.
A Bryan Adams fun fact
Let’s give Bryan Adams his due.
This Canadian rocker, who arrives at the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox on Tuesday for an acoustic performance, was no one-hit wonder.
According to Billboard, he had four No. 1 hits: “Heaven,” “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You,” “All for Love” (with Sting and Rod Stewart) and “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman.”
Overall, he had 20 hits in the Top 40 charts. Just for perspective, that’s more than, for instance, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin or the Eagles.
Campbell House commentary
The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture announced last week that the historic Campbell House would reopen Oct. 7 after being closed nine months for budgetary reasons.
You might say it will be reopened due to popular demand. The museum’s front desk logged a lot of complaints over those months, and we got a chance to look at them.
Some patrons said they might never come back if the Campbell House wasn’t reopened. Another called the closure “the worst thing I’ve ever heard.”
My favorite: The patron who offered a bribe if someone would sneak her in.